Ex-bus driver walks after hearing in pedestrian fatality

A 70-year-old former Worcester Regional Transit Authority bus driver was released on personal recognizance and ordered not to drive after being arraigned today on charges stemming from a Sept. 28 accident that killed a pedestrian on Sagamore Road.

Edward R. Rossi Jr. of 25 Orchard Meadow Drive, Shrewsbury, is charged with vehicular homicide by negligent driving, driving so as to endanger and failure to use care while turning in connection with the accident that claimed the life of 62-year-old Linda Sneed.

Mr. Rossi was arraigned on the charges this morning in Central District Court. The court entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf.

Police said Mr. Rossi was driving a WRTA bus on the rainy night of Sept. 28 when the bus hit Ms. Sneed on Sagamore Road, a short distance from the bus depot. Mr. Rossi has since retired.

Investigators said the bus was heading north on Grove Street, toward Sagamore Road, when Mr. Rossi signaled for a left-hand turn. Mr. Rossi told police a southbound vehicle slowed to let him make his turn.

“As I turned, I heard a noise and stopped and found a person in the gutter,” he told police.Investigators from the police department's Traffic Division reviewed bus surveillance camera footage and said they determined that Ms. Sneed was 6 to 10 feet into the road before she was struck. She was thrown more than 25 feet and landed on the side of the road, police said.

Investigators allege that Mr. Rossi never came to a complete stop before making his turn and should slowed or stopped for Ms. Sneed once she entered the roadway.

It was rainy at the time of the accident and visibility was poor, according to police, who said there was no crosswalk at the site of the accident.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Melia told Judge Bethzaida Sanabria-Vega he was not asking that bail be set on Mr. Rossi because he had no prior criminal record. At Mr. Melia's request, the judge ordered Mr. Rossi not to drive while his case is pending and continued the case to March 7.

Mr. Rossi's lawyer, Peter L. Ettenberg, did not object to the prosecution's request that his client refrain from driving while the case is pending.

“I think this was clearly an unfortunate accident, with the stress on the word accident,” Mr. Ettenberg said after the arraignment.

“Mr. Rossi feels bad about what happened, and we are hopeful it's going to work out favorably for him in the end. Not all accidents are criminal,” the defense lawyer said.